Deployment
by hoshi-ni-onegai
Summary: Inuyasha is being sent to war. He and Kagome plan to marry before he leaves, but she is afflicted with cold feet and a bad case of pre-wedding jitters. AU. InuXKag


Author Notes: It's been a while since I wrote about resident half dog demon and the modern priestess. I'm not going to lie, I kind of missed them. There was a time when I was convinced that I had grown out of this story, but I started rereading the manga recently and there is something just so loveable about them. So here they are, a little bit more grown up than the canon but I think still themselves.

Disclaimer: The _Inuyasha_ world and all characters depicted are a creation of mangaka, Takahashi Rumiko.

**Deployment**

By Hoshi-ni-Onegai

She carefully traced her lower lip with the startlingly red lipstick. Leaning away from the bathroom mirror she looked at the final effect. Her inky black hair was pinned half up, her eyes dusted with light eye shadow, her lashes were mildly clumpy yet decent, but her lips.

Kagome frowned at her reflection and grabbed the paper towels from the dispenser next to the sink. She vigorously scrubbed away the crimson waxy texture from her lips. When her they felt clean again, she looked over her face again. Her lips looked pink, but she wasn't sure if that was just her natural color, stain from the lipstick, or the forceful rubbing from the paper towel.

Gripping the lipstick in hand she brought it back up to her mouth and bowed forward to face the mirror. Kagome lightly pouted her lips and colored them again. With a final swipe, she took a better look at her face. Before she could attack her lips with some paper towels again, a knock sounded through the single stall public bathroom.

"In a minute." She called out and looked back at mirror.

"It's me." The deep voice of her fiancé streamed through the door.

She considered ignoring him, but thought better of it. She glanced at the small window and it didn't exactly seem like the most graceful getaway. Then again, she didn't have the best track record of sneaking away from her half-dog demon boyfriend.

Stepping to the door, she swiftly unlocked it and stood back without opening the door. Inuyasha slid in through the door and locked it behind him.

"There was a line out there, I pointed them to the bathroom down the hall." He looked at her with concern. "You don't look sick."

"No, I look like Ronald McDonald." She grumbled and wiped away the lipstick. "I can't do this Inuyasha."

His eyes widened and his dog ears atop his head visibly drooped. "You're backing out?"

Realizing what he misunderstood, she shook her head rapidly. Kagome turned back toward the mirror. "I can't do this, as in I can't get my makeup right."

Inuyasha let out a sigh of relief and walked up behind her. Sweeping her hair to the side he rested his chin on her shoulder and looked at her in the mirror. "It looks great. You look great."

"It's the lipstick." She brought it up to his face. "I look weird with it on. I don't look like myself."

"Well, we want you to look like yourself on your wedding day." He took the lipstick and sniffed it, he scrunched his nose at the synthetic sent. "You don't need this crap."

"I'm going to the ugliest bride in there." She gestured to her simple white wrap dress. "I'm underdressed as it is."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and wrapped his arms around her waist. "Seriously? All the other grooms in there are going to be jealous I have the prettiest girl in the room with me."

"Yeah, but I'm sure their reason for getting married are less nefarious than mine." Kagome turned away to avoid looking at him in the mirror's reflection.

"I'm the one wanting to rush this." He hugged her closer. "I don't want to go back without being married to you."

"But I'm the one getting all the benefits. What are you getting from a quickie marriage at the courthouse?" She bit her lower lip. "Just a ball and chain waiting for you."

He kissed the side of her neck, then turned her around to face him. "Knowing you're waiting for me back home instead of being swept off your feet is a huge relief."

"No one is going to sweep me off my feet." She pointed out.

"I did. And if I was even remotely suave enough, then I'm worried what a guy like Miroku could accomplish." He reasoned.

"He's a little more than distracted by Sango turning him down all the time." She fought the smile tugging at her lips. "And who says you swept me off my feet?"

Inuyasha grinned. "If you recall our first meeting and the fact that you're a demon magnet, I swept you right off your feet and to safety. I remember a certain priestess tearing holes in my shirt as she gripped on for dear life."

"Because you didn't warn me how fast and high you were going to jump." Kagome shot him a look and sighed a bit defeated. "Who's going to protect me when you're away?"

"No one's going to even think about harming you knowing you're my wife. And if anything were to happen, you'll be protected by my claim and you'll have one of the strongest demon families behind you." He pressed a reassuring kiss to her temple. "My old man has a soft spot for you. He'll keep you safe."

"Then why get married?"

"If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to get out of this." He smirked. "You know that going unclaimed is going to get you in trouble."

"I was fine for twenty-two years before I met you." Kagome mumbled.

"Then your powers awoke, and how many times a week after that have I saved your ass?" He pointed out. "They'll come after you."

"Then stay." She gripped her shirt and pleaded. "Stay and protect me here. Don't leave."

He sighed and cradled her jaw. "You know I can't. I have to go."

Taking in a steadying breath she closed her eyes. "This isn't our war."

"You mean it's not your war." Inuyasha traced the contours of her cheek with his thumb. "You know we need to pick a side, and I'm not exactly pro-Naraku."

"But you're half demon. You're allowed to be neutral."

He leaned his forehead against hers. "I believe in what we're fighting for. I want this war to be over for our kids."

"We don't have any kids." Kagome said. "And if you die in battle we'll never have any."

"I'm not going to die." He pulled back and slipped his hands to grasp her shoulders. "I'll be back in one piece, and we can start our lives together when I do."

Kagome looked over her usually casual fiancé, he was obviously uncomfortable in his tie and sport coat with his long silver hair tied back low on the nape of his neck. She now regretted talking him into dressing up a bit for their courthouse wedding. He didn't look like himself, much like how she felt ridiculous with lipstick on.

She backtracked the past twenty-four hours that changed their lives. Inuyasha had been delivered his deployment orders yesterday. It would be only a matter of days before he would be sent to the frontlines for the demon war that has been waging on since the uprising of the general Naraku. Life outside of the clashes of war wasn't the most peaceful, but the priests, priestesses, and humans maintained the order. The demons were outnumbered, but not overpowered. The world has been on the edge of a full-fledged world war for years now, and it seemed the tides were finally turning. Naraku's forces were falling, and now was not the time to let up. The end of the days of bloodshed was finally around the corner. But Kagome feared that it would be Inuyasha's blood.

"We can wait to get married Inuyasha. I'll wait for you." She choked back an oncoming sob. "This feels like I'm signing your death sentence."

He shook his head and gave a rare smile. "What better reason to come back alive than knowing the wife I love is waiting for me?"

"I'll kill you if you don't come back alive." She scolded.

"If anyone can manage to kill a dead man, it would be you." Inuyasha let out a chuckle and tugged her toward him to plant a thorough kiss on her lips. He slipped his hands into hers and gestured to the door. "We don't want to be late for our appointment with the judge."

She allowed Inuyasha to lead them out of the bathroom. As he mentioned, the line was gone and they were spared from the angry glances of those waiting. Kagome followed next to him and looked him over again. Reaching over, she tugged his hair out of its tie. The curtain of silver hair came loose and she couldn't help combing her fingers through it.

Inuyasha raised a brow at the action. She smiled at him. "I want you to look like yourself. I'm marrying my stubborn, arrogant, and jealous boyfriend."

He let out a snort. "Don't try to win me with flattery or anything."

"Who redeems himself by being kind, noble, and hot." She added.

"I knew you were after me for my body." He smirked. "So can I get rid of this tie then?"

"No." Kagome grasped the tie in question and tugged him down to kiss him softly. She whispered around his lips, knowing very well that he could hear her perfectly. "I need to keep a leash on you. But you can loosen it a bit."

Inuyasha laughed while rolling his eyes. He escorted her toward the courtroom. "Come on, let's get hitched."

xXx

A/N: This story came to me when one of my friends brought up the point that a lot of couples get married soon before a significant other is deployed in the military. If something were to happen to the spouse (at least here in the US), the spousal privileges are a lot better than what a fiancé could get. Then I started thinking about how that decision must be really hard to make. Getting married seems like an insurance just in case the person dies, but then again there is also the want to not put things off just in case. I don't mean this to be a political statement about the current modern wars, but I wanted to look into the conflicting feelings that go into this important moment for couples.


End file.
